Paint brush



NOV. 17, 1959 R, H|| 1'0N 2,912,711

PAINT BRUSH Filed June 19, 1956 /M/f/v Taf? /PALPH /7//L To/v United States Patent O PAINT BRUSH Ralph Hilton, San Leandro, Calif.

Application June 19, 1956, Serial No. 592,351

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-244) This invention relates to paint brushes, and is more particularly directed towards a paint brush in which the paint applicating portion thereof may be discarded after a single days use.

During the course of the past several years, more and more individuals are performing home maintenance jobs previously conducted only by skilled artisans in the particular trade. By way of example, it is now common practice for home owners to do their own painting, and in this connection numerous improvements have been made to facilitate such painting by people with little or no specific training in the field. Thus, paint applicators in the form of rollers are now in widespread use and are specifically adapted for the average householder. However, rollers are not satisfactory for performing certain types of painting functions, and where inexpensive conventional brushes are used, there is a tendency for the bristles to fall out and interfere with the job, and it is difficult to have the brush maintain its proper form or shape to produce best results. n the other hand, where a more expensive brush is used, a great deal of care and time must be spent in cleaning the brush so as to insure its availability for the next painting operation. Even with a good brush, an amateur painter has diculty in applying the paint in such a manner as to provide a smooth and uniform painted surface.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a paint brush composed of a handle portion and a paint applicator portion in which the applicator portion may be disposed of after a single use thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint brush of the character described in which a uniform application of paint may be placed on a surface without leaving of telltale brush marks or other unsightly irregularities.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a paint brush in which the applicator portion is formed of a sponge-like or liquid absorbing material and yet, notwithstanding such construction, means are provided to prevent the paint from being forced through the applicator upon application of pressure on one side thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint brush as above described in which the distal edge portion is readily deformable so that such edge may be utilized in uniformly painting ornamental moldings or the like with a single movement of the brush along the length of such moldings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint brush of the character referred to in which an insert is provided within the brush and in the generalv plane thereof so as to afford a controlled degree of flexibility to the brush.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and formingpart of the specification. It is to be understood, however; that variations in the show- 2,912,711 Patented Nov. 17, 1959 ing made by the said drawing and description may be yce `V`adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a brush constructed in accordance with the present invention, portions of the brush handle being broken away in order to disclose features of internal construction.

Figure 2 is a side view of the brush shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view similar to Figure 1 of the applicator portion of the brush, portions of the applicator being broken away to better illustrate internal constructional features.

- Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 4-4 ofv Figure 3.

As hereinabove mentioned, the brush of the present invention is preferably constructed as a two-piece unit, namely a handle portion 6 and a paint applicator portion 7. The primary purpose of the two-piece construction is to permit discarding of the applicator portion and replacement thereof with a new applicator after a days painting, so as to avoid the tedious brush cleaning operation, yet without requiring the casting off of the relatively expensive handle on which little or no wear occurs.

The applicator portion 7 is constructed of a suitable deformable liquid absorbent material such as the relatively new foam rubber, latex, sponge rubber, or the like, the prime requisite being its ability to absorb a quantity of paint upon being immersed in a paint can, and the further ability of the material to release the paint therefrom as the applicator is drawn across a surface to be painted. As the particular nature of the material is not considered an element of the present invention, no further explanation is deemed necessary as to the particular ingredients or type of rubber or the like which may be used for this purpose.

As here illustrated, the applicator 7 is formed of generally rectangular configuration having opposed surfaces 8 and 9, edges 12 and 13, a top edge 14 and a bottom edge 16. Preferably, the applicator is formed of two separate strips of material in face to face rela tionship as will be clear from Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing, and as an important feature of the present invention, a liner sheet 17 is interposed between the confronting faces of the two strips. This 'sheet may be constructed of any suitable liquid impervious and semi-rigid material, and by way of example one of the phenol-aldehyde resins, a cellulose derivative such as Celluloid, an acrylate polymer such as lucite, polyethylene, or the like, may be utilized for this purpose. The sheet 17 may be integrally formed with or inserted between the two strips in any suitable manner and as here shown, the sheet is provided with a plurality of apertures 18 so that when the two strips are placed in confronting relationship with the sheet sandwiched therebetween, glue or other suitable adhesive placed on the confronting faces of the strips will cause an adherence of the strips to each other at the apertures in the sheet as well as a securing of each strip to the sheet. Furthermore, since the top and side marginal edges of the sheet are spaced inwardly of the edges 12, 13 and 14 of the applicator material, a perpheral portion 21 of the strips may be directly bonded together in this marginal area. The insa-t 17 performs a dual function. First, in view of the fact that the liner sheet is liquid resistant, the paint on either side thereof will not rtend to run to the opposite side when the applicator is in use. In other words, assuming that the surface 8 is being applied to a surface being painted, there would be a tendency for the paint, due to the resiliency and porosity of the applicator material to extrude through the surface 9 which, in the case of ceiling or wall painting could result in paint dripping from the ap.

plicator. Secondly, the use of the liner permits the applicator to be of the same general size and shape as a conventional paint brush without being unduly flexible. In absence of the liner, the relatively soft sponge-like material comprising the applicator would not atord suicient rigidity to the unit to permit its use. However, as the thickness of the liner 117 may be predetermined, the flexibility of the brush -may be likewise controlled in the manufacture thereof.

The lower edge portion of the applicator 7 is adapted to be releasably secured in the handle 6 and in this connection it will be noted that the opposed surfaces 3 and 9 at the lower edges thereof are clamped in a generally U-shaped metal clamp w. The width of the clamp is less than the normal thickness of the applicator, and to further insure retention of the applicator to the clamp, a pair of longitudinally extending ridges 27 may be provided medially of the height of the clamp legs so that by applying a suitable adhesive between the clamp and applicator a rm lock and bond may be provided. Then, to install the applicator unit in the brush handle, the latter is preferably provided with a recess 311 such recess being provided with a pair of grooves 32 extending for the length thereof and adapted to slidably receive the ribs 27 of the clamp.;r Thus, in order to remove the applicator and its associated clamp it is merely necessary to slide the applicator out from one of the open ends of the groove 311 of the handle.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that while the paint brush of the instant invention is extremely simple and inxepensive i-n construction, it will fulfill a definite need in providing a paint applicator which is extremely simple to use and which is capable of producing painting results heretofore impossible by persons lacking the prerequisite skill in the trade.

What is claimed is:

A paint brush comprising an applicator formed of a body of liquid absorbing porous material having a generally rectangular cross-sectional and planar form and having opposed faces in parallel relationship, said body being formed of pair of substantially identical strips of material in face to face confronting relationship, a liquid resistant liner of more rigid material than said body disposed between said strips andextending to adjacent the edges thereof, means for securing said strips and liner together including an adhesive extending between peripheral opposed portions of said strips, said liner being slightly spaced from the edges of said strip, said liner being provided with a plurality of apertures by means of which said strips may be brought into abutting relationship and adhesively secured together at such apertures while minimizing liquid ow therebetween, and a manually engageable handle releasably secured to an end portion of said applicator substantially completely along the width thereof and overlying an end portion of the outermost face of each strip.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,283,175 Heller Oct. 29, 1918 1,645,479 Golden Oct. ll, 1927 1,783,151 McArthur Nov. 25, 1930 1,828,139 ll-lawrylasz Oct. 20, 1931 1,829,287 Lovett Oct. 27, 1931 2,030,911 Borden Feb. 18, 1936 2,186,050 Vaughn 1an. 9, 1940 2,501,289 Orndorl' Mar. 21, 1950 2,702,915 Anderson Mar. 1, 1955 2,753,582 Fredericks lluly 10, 1956 2,796,617 Bradshaw lune 25, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 507,104 Canada Nov. 9, 1954 

